The Kingdom of Qing ruled the world with filial piety, so when His Majesty, the wise and mighty emperor, moved so much money from the treasury to build the tomb for the dead queen mother, the two scholars at that time, Shu and Hu, only expressed concern on the surface, and Fan Xian was even more worried. It's too lazy to pay attention to this matter.
Sun Jingxiu was celebrating his old mother's birthday today, so it was much more important than himself, and it was through this matter that he had the courage to invite Fan Xian. However, when Mrs. Fan really stepped into the front gate of the mansion with Princess Chen's hand, Sun Jingxiu was still uncontrollably excited.
The past few months have been precarious for him, and it seems that in an instant, all the officials in the yamen started to stare at him, making him feel like a thorn in his back, unable to live in peace. After thinking about it, he finally thought of Fan Xian, but the Sun Mansion and the Fan family didn't have a deep relationship, and he didn't know whether it would work or not.
It's done, although Sun Jingxiu's lips were a little bitter, a little dark, and there was a lot of apology towards his daughter, but looking at Fan Xian's handsome face, he still saluted very respectfully, and then greeted the pair of Bi people. Entered the mansion.
The mansion has already been properly arranged, all the female guests are in the back garden, and the front mansion is occupied by the chief officials of the Kyoto Mansion, the front and back three halls that are really vacated for the court officials are empty at this time , very dazzling.
Fan Xian followed Sun Jingxiu into the interior, looking at the empty long tables, he couldn't help but smile. Lin Wan'er whispered a few words in his ear, and then, accompanied by the nuns and served by the ladies of the Sun Mansion, she went to the back garden.
Turning to the west chamber, Fan Xian followed Sun Jingxiu into the study. He already knew at this time that Prince Jing and Duke Liu had arrived, and the two distinguished old men were chatting with Mrs. Sun's mother at this moment, and they didn't care too much about their age.
The study was very quiet. Fan Xian looked at Sun Jingxiu and said with a smile, "Master Sun, you are really not a smart person."
Before it was time to start the banquet, Sun Jingxiu was afraid of neglecting Mr. Fan, so he personally accompanied him into the study. At this moment, people's tea has not been brought yet, but the other party has already said this sentence very calmly and directly, Sun Jingxiu couldn't help but his heart was shocked, and he didn't know what to say for a long while.
"I'm a little curious." Fan Xian looked at him and said in a harmonious voice, "You have never used these methods of trying to figure out the Sacred Heart in the past, why did you do the opposite this year, and you want to take advantage of my momentum to take a look. The movement in the officialdom? My lord is not a powerful person in Nianzhan, which really surprised me."
After being silent for a while, Sun Jingxiu bowed his hands sincerely, and said, "Jingxiu asks himself that being the governor of the capital is considered a high standard, please have mercy."
Fan Xian tapped on the table lightly, as if he was thinking about how to measure it. He also did not expect that Sun Jingxiu would make such a direct request, but he also likes to negotiate more directly. After a while, he nodded slightly and said, "I'll go and talk about it for you in the palace."
"Where is Master He?" Sun Jingxiu was overjoyed, but he could still maintain a calm face, and asked with a slightly trembling voice.
Fan Xian lowered his eyes slightly, and said, "He is the Censor of Zuodu of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and I don't care about him."
Sun Jingxiu's heart trembled slightly.
Fan Xian raised his head and said with a smile, "But he's just walking around the door. If Master Hu doesn't nod, what can he do with you, the prefect of the capital?"
The conversation in the study ended very briefly. Fan Xian didn't let Sun Jingxiu confide in his face any heart-wrenching and nasty words. They knew each other well. Since Fan Xian was willing to do Sun Jingxiu such a big favor, Sun Jingxiu's life could only be sold to Fan Xian—Isn't the Governor of Kyoto When Sun Jingxiu looked at the officialdom, he could only see the back of Fan Xian's head. He had no choice.
During the time when Fan Xian and Sun Jingxiu were chatting, the servants in charge of the Sun residence stared dumbfounded at the official sedan chairs passing outside the residence, and those adults with names and surnames in the court hall, all smiling and very gentle. Come to pay respects... They couldn't help thinking in their hearts, where did these adults go before
A servant informed the study, and Sun Jingxiu couldn't help laughing bitterly. He knew that the reason why the attitudes of these adults changed so quickly was all because Lord Xiao Fan came in person, and he also invited Prince Jing and Duke Liu as mountain axes.
Fan Xian saw the bitterness in this person's heart, and said with a smile: "Things above the officialdom are so shameless, you have been in the capital for so long, you should get used to it, otherwise you will always have this kind of shame." This kind of sulking, how many more years can you endure?"
Sun Jingxiu nodded and accepted the instruction.
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Only three tables were opened in the main hall. As soon as the female family members arranged freely and thoughtfully in the back garden, Fan Xian just followed Wan'er to gossip with that old Mrs. Sun, and then retreated.
The main seat in the middle of the table was vacant for the time being, Prince Jing naturally sat in the most honored seat, and Duke Liu sat in the second seat diagonally across from each other. The two elders are also people who have known each other for a lifetime. Although they sit a little far away, they speak very loudly, and the small talk turned into a quarrel.
Prince Jing was full of obscenities as usual, and he had to bring a few XXXs in one sentence, which made the officials on the three tables in the hall a little uncomfortable. Unexpectedly, Duke Liu was also a figure who retired from the army back then. Habit is familiar.
Sun Jingxiu was entertaining the rest of the officials at this time. Fan Xian sat between Prince Jing and Duke Liu, laughing, chatting, eating and drinking with them, and felt at ease. Prince Jing and Fan's family are family friends, so the friendship is naturally not mentioned, and Liu Guogong is the biological father of the Liu family. From the face of it, he is Fan Xian's grandfather, and Fan Xian is naturally respectful.
Accompanying Liu Guogong to talk about the things in Danzhou, Liu's life is very good now, the grandfather is of course very relieved, and with Fan Xian looking after him, the children and grandchildren in Guogong Lane have their own A piece of heaven and earth.
While chatting with Prince Jing, it was a bit of a headache, because the old prince had to vaguely mention things like the hospital without mentioning a few words. Fan Xian sighed secretly in his heart, wondering if there was any possibility between Hongcheng and Ruoruo.
Speaking of the eldest son Li Hongcheng, after the New Year's Eve, as the general of Dingzhou, it is impossible for him to fight with the senior scholars all the time in the capital. , staring at the movement every day. His Majesty the Emperor knew that he was messing around, so he was very angry, but there was nothing he could do.
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The guests gradually came together, three ministers, two ministers, seven or eight servants, more than half of the important ministers in the entire Qing Dynasty court came. With the face of the Governor of Kyoto, it is natural that he cannot win over so many important figures, but Fan Xian's face has such lethality.
It's just that as time passed, Fan Xian felt a little headache. These servants of ministers came to see the salute, so he naturally got up to return the salute and accept the thoughtful greetings. The people at the three tables were a little tired after seeing them. Paying respects to him, I would not let go of this rare opportunity to meet Xiao Fan.
After one round, the whole hall was filled with the sound of flattery, and Fan Xian's expression changed several times after being photographed. Being flattered by dozens of officials is also very uncomfortable.
After drinking for three rounds, another minister began to mention Fan Xian's indomitable achievements in Dongyi City, and everyone's eyes on him became hot. At this time, few people would care about He Zongwei, a senior scholar. After all, this little prince is His Majesty's own son, and he has made so many contributions to Nan Qing over the years. He is really a red-hot character. What can the generation of Zaizhi do? It is not impossible to crack the soil and seal the king!
Fan Xian had a headache, wondering whether these officials came to celebrate the old Matriarch Sun's birthday, or came here to flatter him? But in the end, he also understands, if they didn't come here specially to flatter him, why did these officials come here
Prince Jing was obviously also very interested in the affairs of Dongyi City, so he pulled him to his side and asked about some confidential matters, but it would take at least half a year before the agreement was finalized, and Fan Xian couldn't say anything clearly, he just picked Some unimportant things were secretly told to the old flower farmer.
Officials with low rank may not care about flattering appearances, but those high-ranking ministers and ministers sitting in the main hall still have to put on a calm appearance, and only occasionally glance at Fan Xian's face .
Fan Xian turned a blind eye to it, he knew that these people were waiting for him to get mad, and then he was going to see how to deal with the following things.
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As the sun moved on, the noise of drinking outside also stopped. Prince Jing and Duke Liu felt a little heavy and tired after having a few glasses of wine, and didn't bother to look at the next thing, so they found an excuse and left. go.
Sun Jingxiu sent the two nobles out of the gate respectfully, and then returned to the main hall. After thinking for a while, he ordered his servants to stay outside the main hall and pay attention to the movement.
He stepped in, complained to the adults at the three tables in the hall, laughed and chatted, and declined for a while before actually sitting back at the head of the first table.
At this time, the main hall gradually became quiet, and everyone subconsciously stopped their chopsticks and put their glasses on, looking at the various dishes in front of them, with a peaceful smile on their faces, showing their official style, and waiting for the next thing.
First, Sun Jingxiu sincerely expressed his gratitude, what the hell, then he also stopped talking and sat beside Fan Xian, extremely calm.
Fan Xian's eyes drooped slightly, and he slowly put down the chopsticks in his hand. The ivory chopsticks rested on the celadon pillow, making a soft jingling sound.
The hearts of all the officials were knocked by this voice.
There was an uncomfortable silence, and the entire main hall was quiet. Compared with the bustle in the courtyard and the sound of silk and bamboo in the back garden, it was extremely quiet.
"How about Mr. Sun's official voice, I won't go into details." Fan Xian raised his head, parted his thin lips, and said slowly: "Your Majesty also has a lot of words to encourage in private."
Hearing these words, all the officials at the table felt very ironic. If His Majesty really liked this Governor of Kyoto, how could Mr. He make such rumors? It's just... the little father-in-law said privately? Alas, who would know what the father and son said in private? Do these people at the banquet dare to ask something in front of His Majesty
"My lords are officials in the same dynasty, everyone has a bad time, and I hope to help each other." Fan Xian's words were extremely substandard. First of all, he laid out Sun Jingxiu's predicament, and then he was on the front line. He was at a disadvantage, and he even put out the words of helping this kind of businessman, so the appearance of eating seemed a little ugly.
It's just that things like standards always depend on the role. Even if His Majesty wrote a doggerel with a swollen white dog, the courtiers would praise it. So when Fan Xian said this, all the officials at the banquet They all nodded while stroking their beards, thinking that Mr. Fan's words were simple but not simple, and very reasonable.
Fan Xian turned his head, looked at the official on the right, and said, "What does Wei Shangshu think?"
Wei Dongxing, the current Minister of the Household Department, is also a cunning official who has been polished in the Household Department for a long time. In the past few years, he went to the Fan Mansion to discuss matters with Fan Shangshu. It's not just because of his performance in the Ministry of Finance, but more precisely, it's because he has completely surrendered to His Majesty the Emperor, and wholeheartedly followed His Majesty's wishes to pull the Ministry of Finance out of the quagmire of the Fan family's independent kingdom.
Of course Wei Shangshu knew that Lord Fan had been offended by his behavior in the past two years, but His Majesty the Emperor was directly behind him, so he wasn't too worried. In the past two years, Fan Xian had never expressed anything to him Any dissatisfaction seems to be an understanding of his difficulties. It was precisely because of this that he knew about Fan Xian's arrival today, and after thinking about it for a long time, he still came to invite guests at the Sun Mansion.
He didn't expect that Mr. Fan would really choose to make trouble because of the Kyoto Prefecture, and he would be the first one to pick. His heart trembled slightly, he knew that Master Xiao Fan didn't like him, otherwise the other party wouldn't have chosen the household department to be the first to perform the surgery at this table.
A faint chill came to his heart, but Wei Shangshu had no other choice. After thinking for a while, he said with a soft smile: "What the young man said is reasonable. The Ministry of Households will act in accordance with the will and laws, and will never act indiscriminately."
The banquet was full of old fritters who had been up and down in the officialdom for a long time. Of course, he knew what it was for Fan Xian to choose Wei Shangshu to come out and ask him alone. Unexpectedly, in Wei Shangshu's indifferent words, he pushed Fan Xian back, not even a vague promise of goodwill.
On the one hand, the officials admired Wei Shangshu's courage, on the other hand, they were also a little worried about what would happen next, and they all remained silent. The other two Shangshu adults raised their chopsticks and whispered to the adults beside them to eat slowly.
"I'm a very peaceful person." The smile on Fan Xian's face became more and more beautiful, he stared into Wei Dongxing's eyes, and said in a harmonious voice: "If there is a will, then naturally I will follow the will, but if there is no will, I will follow it. The official wants to see what will happen to those villains in the end."
The Overwatch Council and the affairs of the government have two different relationships. Well water does not interfere with river water. Fan Xian's words are already somewhat taboo, and the word "little man" undoubtedly cut Wei Shangshu's face completely. Turning cold, he looked at Fan Xian and said, "I don't know what the little grandpa means by that?"
Fan Xian still didn't get angry, just said with a smile: "Nothing interesting, I'm just going to enter the palace tonight, to ask His Majesty, what order has been given to the Ministry of Households recently, so that the yamen of the Ministry of Households is not doing business, but guarding the office every day. Stay in Kyoto Prefecture."
"I am in charge of the Overwatch Council, but I don't dare to investigate officials above the third rank in private." Fan Xian's expression was still so gentle, "Today is the old matriarch's 70th birthday, so I shouldn't have said such sarcastic remarks, just I can't stay in Beijing for a few days, and I'm going to Dongyi soon, and I think the capital is an urgent matter, so it's a bit urgent, my lords, don't laugh at me."
All the ministers at the table laughed dryly, who dared to really laugh. Mr. Xiao Fan has already woken up clearly to these words. He is the commissioner of the Overwatch Council, and will officially become the second director of the Overwatch Council in three days. As for his other identities, there is no need to mention them. And... back to Dongyi City? This is another reminder to these ministers that today's Fan Xian has enough credit to ask His Majesty for something, even if it is a will.
Wei Shangshu's heart was shocked, and he chewed out the meaning of these two sentences.
Fan Xian raised a glass of wine and said to the ministers at the table, "My lords, let the Kyoto Prefecture be quieter."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone knew that Fan Xian had officially stepped forward. After an awkward silence, someone slowly raised the wine glass in front of him, some were uneven, but basically all the ministers raised their wine glasses.
Wei Shangshu was still staring at the wine glass in front of him in a daze. He was indeed very embarrassed, because he knew that Fan Xian was an extremely vengeful person. He smiled so softly before, and he was probably extremely angry in his heart. Even though he begged for mercy today and took a step back , Could it be that Fan Xian will let himself go in the future? And after all, he is the Minister of the Dynasty, with a respectable status here, and with the full support of His Majesty the Emperor and He Zongwei, it would really be unreasonable to make a concession.
Fan Xian didn't look at him directly, and said with a gentle smile: "Although we are all officials in the court, we are all poor people. It's not that we want to seek a better future for our children and grandchildren."
"Your Majesty once said that you need to be in awe when you live in this world." He looked at the people at the table and said gently, "I am walking between heaven and earth, and I only have awe for two things."
Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites frowned slightly. He was the first person to raise the wine glass before. Unlike Wei Shangshu, he had not offended the Fan family, so he had a chance to make amends. Moreover, he secretly mocked in his heart that Wei Dongxing didn't even know Xiaofan. What kind of character is the adult, and what kind of means.
He knew what Wei Shangshu was thinking, the Overwatch Council simply couldn't control officials above the third rank, as long as His Majesty didn't speak, it seemed that Xiao Fan couldn't threaten him at all. But he knew that Wei Shangshu seemed to have forgotten history—when Fan Xian was still white, he sent the former Minister of Rites, Guo Youzhi, to a dead end. You are a ruthless person forced to die, you are a mere minister, why bother to contradict the other party face to face
Thinking of this, the Minister of Rites followed Fan Xian's words and asked with a smile, "I don't know why the little prince is in awe?"
"I respect His Majesty first, and my parents second." Fan Xian gently twirled the small wine glass between his fingers, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty is right, if you don't have a sense of reverence, you will tend to act like Meng Lang... I used to behave a little bit Meng Lang, please take care of me, my lords."
There was another burst of laughter during the banquet, but the meaning of this sentence was clearly heard. awe? The little prince is telling everyone clearly, in your hearts of awe, apart from His Majesty Heaven and Earth Parents, don't forget yourself! rash? This little father-in-law's behavior is far more than Meng Lang, he is simply ruthless!
It's still the same old saying, a very low-level threat, but because the person who threatens it is too powerful, it appears to be loud. In particular, the four words Fan Xian mentioned earlier, children and grandchildren, finally reminded some people that even if the Overwatch Council can't move Shang Shushilang, it is easy to send the rest of your family to hell.
This is a very arrogant, arrogant and presumptuous move, but no one can change the fact that His Majesty favors Fan Xian. Wei Dongxing's face gradually darkened, and his fingers trembled. He felt that Mr. Fan was too unreasonable. Do you dare to attack my family because of your own affairs
But everyone knew that Fan Xian dared, that although Mr. Fan had a reputation as a poet fairy back then, he had always followed an eerie path and was not unreasonable.
Wei Dongxing finally raised his glass slowly and drank it down in one gulp, not knowing the taste of the wine.
Fan Xian nodded, raised his wine glass again, and said the last sentence: "Everyone, eat well and drink well."
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I don't know if the remaining ministers, especially the Minister of the Household Department who was blatantly threatened and disdained by Fan Xian, are in the mood to eat and drink well. Anyway, Fan Xian is in a good mood. They went home together, but drove in the direction of Beicheng in a black carriage.
"Go to Taixue." He instructed Mu Feng'er: "Scholar Hu is not on duty today, he is giving lectures in Taixue."
Mu Feng'er responded, but didn't think about why your lord was in such a hurry to see Master Hu.
Fan Xian rubbed his frowning brows in the carriage. In fact, his actions in the Sun Mansion were not appropriate, but he had to adopt such an attitude, and this attitude would definitely spread throughout the capital, so he had to Get ahead and deal with the follow-up matters.
He was going to enter the palace at night, and before entering the palace, he had to meet with Grand Master Hu. If he could persuade the chief scholar, then he would have more confidence in fighting in front of His Majesty.